The Holistic Wellness
THE NESARA By Nicky PERSPECTIVE
At NESARA By Nicky, we follow a holistic approach to wellness: we need to understand that the skin is self-repairing, self maintaining and constructed from the nutrients in our diet. You could apply the best of creams, lotions and potions, but you can’t expect groundbreaking results from that single factor alone. Skincare products themselves play only a secondary part—they can amplify the effects of a good diet and healthy lifestyle choices. In our view, this is part of a larger discussion around holistic wellness that helps you gain clarity about your lifestyle as well as gaining perspective on how truly inseparable we are from Nature.
What Is Holistic Wellness?
Holistic living requires one to take a step back, introspect, and assess how they interact with their environment. This holistic approach, or Holism, works on the concept that an issue, be it physical or mental, cannot be seen as solitary—it is always in connection to a larger network of factors that are inextricably intertwined. What’s more, holism isn’t something new-age or modern, either: it’s actually been practiced for centuries in different disciplines around the world, such as Chinese medicine & the Ayurvedic tradition back home. Even the original doctor, Hippocrates, was believed to be a stoic holistic practitioner himself around 2500 years ago!
The Big 5 of Holistic Health
Holistic health looks at 5 primary aspects of one’s life that enable the person to live each day to its fullest, and lead a fulfilling, happy & peaceful life. This network is interconnected, which means if one factor is compromised, so will the others to some degree.
Physical
The most commonly accepted version of ‘health’ is physical health. Whenever we hear that someone’s ill, or you feel a little low yourself, we tend to consider our physical health as being the only aspect affected. Additionally, since physical ailments are easier to keep track of, given the tangibility of the information, it’s the one taken most seriously in terms of health. Holistic wellness has a host of practices to follow in order to ensure you’re always in the best of your physical state. These are:
- 8 hrs of uninterrupted sleep
- Nutrient-rich diet consisting of healthy quantities of protein, fiber, and clean ingredients
- 30 mins of movement each day
- Avoiding highly processed foods
- Avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption
Among many others.
Emotional
Emotional health is a part of the health network that often goes unattended. What we don’t know is just how much of our physical health is affected by our emotional state. What does holistic wellness have to say about taking care of your emotional health?
- Seek therapy and counselling whenever required
- Manage stress levels by mindfulness practices and meditation
- Write down your thoughts, experiences, emotions in a personal diary or journal
Social
Humans are social animals, and we need each other now more than ever. Happier, more content people are known to have deep and lasting connections in their social networks, as they cultivate a strong sense of belonging. Making time for your friends, spending hours doing something fun with your family, volunteering at local communities and giving back, setting healthy boundaries are all components that create a healthy, flourishing social life.
Spiritual
Spirituality and religion may overlap more than once, however they are, in essence, two separate concepts. Spiritual health helps you look at your relationship with yourself: how do you talk to yourself? What makes your soul happy? What makes you feel more aligned with a higher power, whatever your definition of it may be? Spending some quality time with your spiritual side goes a long way in helping you have a firm sense of self, while boosting confidence and positivity.
Intellectual
Who doesn’t love a good brain tickler? Intellectual health is imperative in keeping our cognitive abilities sharp, helping us make smarter, more efficient decisions and impacting our work as well as personal lives. The best way to keep your brain running smoothly is to look out for learning opportunities in new and unexplored fields, developing a hobby that requires research and investigation, solving puzzles or mysteries and consuming foods that help your brain stay on top of its game. Foods such as those rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, iron, prebiotic and probiotic nutrients, etc. are ideal.
Never underestimate the connection between the skin and the mind: studies have shown it goes back as far as skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the newborn child. Skin, or touch, is the first language we learn as we are birthed into this realm. When we’re happy, we glow. When we’re embarrassed, we blush. When we’re sad, our face goes dull and loses colour.
When it comes to skincare and taking care of your vitality, you’d be surprised to know the sheer amount of psychosomatic factors that are responsible for breakouts, acne, wrinkles, fine lines and premature ageing. It’s a complex, deeply intertwined web that is incredibly difficult to quantify, but its existence? Undeniable. The study of the skin and its connection to the mind is a field called psychodermatology, a new discipline in psychosomatic sciences.
Severe skin conditions such as cystic acne, scarring, marks, hyperpigmentation and even vitiligo can have lasting and damaging effects on one’s psyche. This is where skin & mind healing techniques have proven to be useful, helping patients achieve a healthy, healed skin using a variety of modalities and therapies.
Stress & Skin
Stress is no friend to the skin: it triggers cortisol secretion which leads to a host of skin problems, such as rashes, acne, excess oil production, wrinkles and so much more. While most studies are conducted on patients with extreme cases, one of the simplest ways to practice a healthy skin-to-mind connection at home is meditation or any form of relaxation. Set a time each day when it’s just you, doing things you love or meditating/practicing spiritual release. We promise it’ll go a long way in helping keep your skin healthy and happy!
To know more about the skin-to-mind connection, click here to check out our blogs!